A different approach for a successful 2017

With a New Year approaching, we begin a new journey with expectations to accomplish big things in the upcoming year.  What will you do differently in 2017 than you did in 2016 to make for improvement?  Because if nothing changes, well then nothing will change.  And if you want 2017 to be your best year yet, evolving as a person is key to continued improvement.  Let's think outside the box...here are some unique strategies to help you gain personal growth and health in 2017:

1. Forget the New Year’s resolution. Think goals. If you want something bad enough you will create a game plan to achieve that specific objective. Many people give up on the resolution thing so what’s the point. Write out the things you want in the upcoming year. Ask yourself, “How bad do I want these things?” and “How much work am I willing to put in?” If the desire is strong enough, then move on and create action steps. Once the action steps are formulated, start and be consistent!
2. Run hard and run motivated. Without work ethic, goals do not get accomplished. Without motivation, you will lose focus and derail from the plan, so my recommendation is to “run fast and do not look back”.  If we become stagnate, we quickly go the wrong direction. Be afraid of mediocrity!  Look for things that internally drive and motivate you, find positive people to be around, and move. Don’t except, “Just another year”. Honestly, that is laziness. You should be a little overwhelmed and spread thin, that means you are pushing yourself to become better. Continued forward progress is the recipe for success in 2017. 
3. Short term first. I am always advising long-term health as the answer to health and fitness.  In order to create this long-term habit, we must break down our goals into short-term steps first. We can get a bit overwhelmed staring at a challenging goal that seems unreasonable. Instead of looking at the big goal, break it down into smaller, more realistic steps. For example, say you want to lose some weight in 2017. Great! Let’s do it! What are the action steps of this goal?  Break it down to the daily habits that are needed to move you towards achievement.  Drink 72 ounces of water each day, eat a sensible diet, exercise 5 days a week, etc.  Winning each day sets you up to win the week and then win each month.  Big goals are achieved by breaking down larger goals into more manageable steps.  The goal is now more realistic and attainable.  ACTION IS REQUIRED!  
4. Be a silent assassin. I usually advise telling a close friend or family member your goal to create some accountability for yourself. But forget that! You do not have to tell anyone you are starting an exercise program or looking to run you first half marathon, just start! Action is needed to accomplish your goal so be the person that decides to make it happen. No boasting or bragging is needed. Just plain ol’ hard work and the results will happen. 

I leave you with a powerful quote by Viktor Frankl who was a Holocaust survivor,

"The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitudes.” Viktor Frankl

We have ability to control our attitude. Decide to make yours great in 2017!

Peace and Love,
Justin

Getting and staying lean, speaking from experience

This article is definitely not my way to boast about myself.  I am simply talking from experience.  I have been in the fitness industry, in the trenches training and coaching people for over 15 years.  I have worked out myself for over 20 years, following everything from bodybuilding routines to Ironman triathlon training and everything in between.  I have seen many fad routines and systems come and go.  The below points are strictly from my own learning experience.  They are not sexy.  I can’t tell you that they will work for you like they did for me.  What I can tell you, hopefully to inspire you, is that these strategies have helped me stay within the same weight (135-145) for over 15 years.  They have also helped me stay below 10% body fat.  Not only have these strategies helped my body stay lean over the years, but they have guided me to achieving some cool athletic endeavors.  Hopefully you can learn something from seeing what has worked for me. 

(These are not written in order of importance.  Combined together and done consistently as been the key)

1.     I rarely skip breakfast.  Seriously, in the past 10 years, I have probably skipped 2 or 3 breakfasts.  Whether it’s something light to get my day started, a pre-workout snack or a full-fledged veggie scramble, I do my best to not skip this meal.  For me, it’s a performance thing.  If I have an early morning workout, getting in a quick and easily digestible snack makes for a better training session.  If training is not on the docket, it’s about job performance.  My job takes mental energy so getting food in my system first thing in the morning helps me “wake up”.  Most of the time, my breakfast choices are: yogurts, eggs, pancakes (post workouts), fruits/veggies or oatmeal. 

2.     I have eaten a banana 90% of the mornings.  So to run with my first point, with my breakfast, 9 out of 10 mornings, I start with a banana.  Nothing too special here or no real significance.  I think the key is that I have created a healthy habit and that one habit helps me form other healthy habits.  This is key to living a healthy lifestyle.  On the nutritional side, a banana is a healthy carbohydrate that is packed with potassium.  In terms of performance, I need carbohydrates and potassium throughout the day to keep my muscles functioning at a high level. 

3.     When in doubt, I workout.  At home, at the gym, on the road, on vacation, light routines, hard routines, structured routines, hung over, not feeling well, whatever state I may be in, I make sure to workout.  I have followed long term structured training plans aiming for specific athletic goals.  I have also had times when I give myself flexibility to go to the gym and do what I feel like.  I know my goals and what I want to accomplish at any given moment.  Shit, sometimes I need to just sweat because I went out and drank 8 beers the night before.  I really value working out and the positive affects it has on my mental and physical health. 

4.     With that said, 85% of the year, I focus on performance oriented goals.  The past 10 years, I have always had an athletic focused goal.  Triathlon and running are my sports of choice.  I have done everything from Ironman distance triathlons, to 5ks and everything in between.  I have constantly challenged and stretched myself and invested in my athletic career.  This, for me, has been vital in staying lean and healthy.  And not only that, every race completed, every workout finished, the journey is what I am most passionate about and has helped make me the man I am today.  I don’t focus on weight or body fat numbers.  I focus on training and racing goals.  The byproduct of this type of thinking is a lean physique.  I try and teach people to focus on creating this type of mindset.  Make it a goal to perform 10 bodyweight chin-ups or to run a mile in under 7 minutes.  I also bet you will lower your body fat percentage. 

5.     I’m flexible with my nutrition plan.  I’m not a fan of “dieting”.  In fact, I have never been on a diet in my life.  I have always looked at it as a lifestyle habit.  Now with that said, I have played around with specific nutritional protocols to see how my body would respond.  But for the most part, I have followed a pretty sensible healthy food plan that gives me flexibility to eat whatever I want.  What I do, and what I teach, is to manipulate your macronutrient intake according to your goals.  Most of the time, I am eating nutrient dense foods: Lean proteins like chicken, turkey, eggs, red meat and fish; a variety of fruits and vegetables; healthy carbohydrates like potatoes, rice, oatmeal and pastas; and healthy fats like peanut butter, avocados and raw nuts.  I also eat beans and low fat dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt.  I use bars like cliff bars and powerbars before or after workouts.  I have times throughout the year where I am strict and going for an A- in regards to nutrition.  And I have times (like the Holidays or vacations) where I allow myself to drop to C level nutrition and eat what I want.  Again, most of the time, I am sitting around B+.  You do not have to eat some perfect diet to be lean and healthy.  Find the balance that works for you and be consistent.  Be flexible with your plan. 

6.     I focus on recovery.  Lack of recovery leads to injury, burnout and overtraining.  These three detriments can force me to skip workouts.  If I can’t workout, well there goes point #3.  Results happen with uninterrupted training.  If I am not recovering, my chances of injury dramatically increase. Sleep is the most important here.  Most nights, I try and get 6-8 hours.  I am far from perfect.  With three kids (one being a newborn), some nights I get less, but I make it a priority to at least get that consistent six.  If I know consistent sleep has not been achieved, I adjust my training sessions.  I also add in mobility and flexibility sessions, low intensity work and off days to my schedule to make sure that I am fully recovering. 

7.     I focus on smart training.  I push myself in my workouts.  But my goal is not to overcook my system.  I must find the right amount of stress that is needed in order for me to get the results I am looking for.  This is something that is very difficult to write up in a program.  One of my strongest traits is my workout intuition.  I am very aware of my body and the signs it’s throwing at me.  If I feel lethargic and flat as I begin a workout, I will adjust the training session right there.  I do know the difference of laziness versus mental/physical fatigue.  This intuitive mindset is something I teach the athletes that I train because I think it is very important to express.  “Listen to your body.”

8.     It’s all about consistency.  None of the above strategies work without a consistent approach.  And over the past 20 years, I have been consistent.  I do not aim for some perfect diet or perfect workout regimen.  I am realistic with where I am at in my current state and the goals I want to go after.  I aim for long term sustainability.  That’s how big results happen.  Remember quick fix is BS.  

Success in the New Year starts with your mindset

The New Year is around the corner and if you are looking to have a successful year, I want to encourage you to build and strengthen your mindset.  As a fitness coach, I spend lots of time in the gym helping people work on their physical strength.  But the longer I have been in this industry, the more focused I am on guiding people to improve their self-worth and confidence.  Lacking in these areas will force people to give up on their goals and aspirations.  I am surprised at how many people set limits on themselves and do not believe in their own abilities.  Creating a confident mindset and believing in yourself are such key components to accomplishing your goals.  But just like strengthening your physical body needs exercise, building a strong mindset will take daily work also. 

Here are a few practical mindset conditioning strategies to start with:

·      Start with 5-20 minutes of daily reading.  Topic ideas: Mindset, fitness, nutrition, self-development, inspirational/motivational, autobiographies, sports performance, leadership, spiritual.  Getting your mind right each day by reading positive and inspirational books or articles is key to creating optimism in your life. 

·      Meditate 3-5 times a week for 5-10 minutes.  Simply sit in a quiet place (or listen to calming music), and focus on deep inhales, followed by a pause, then a deep exhale, followed by another pause.  This practice will deflate anxiety and stress and assist in self-awareness.

·      Exercise 3-6 times a week for 30-60 minutes.  This could be as simple as daily walking or as intense as training for an Ironman triathlon.  Know that fitness will tremendously strengthen your mind.  Exercise helps release the brain chemicals dopamine, serotonin and endorphins.  These chemicals activate happiness.  In other words, after a workout, you feel more confident and mentally stronger.  If you are training for a specific event, you do not need to overcook your body.  Find the minimum dosage required to get the result you are looking for.  Overtraining leads you away from your goals.  The key to your fitness goals is to be consistent.  Fitness and exercise does not have to be everything you think about, but you do need to implement it into your life. 

·      Eat a nutrient dense breakfast every morning.  Get a good mix of your important macro-nutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrates.  From there, make healthy decisions most of the day.  Eating a nutrient dense diet supplies the body its vital minerals and vitamins.  The more nutrients you consume, the better you will mentally and physically feel.  Food choices: Eggs, yogurt, any fruit, dark greens and other vegetables, avocado, natural peanut butter, whole grain toast, potatoes and beans.  Limit processed sugars, simple carbohydrates, and fatty foods.

If you want 2017 to be your best year yet, work has to be done.  Daily action needs to be achieved.  And you must be consistent because this is not an overnight success type of thing.  The year will go by fast, so take advantage and attack your goals with a vengeance. 

How to build habits

Ultimately, when striving for some type of goal or objective, it’s the consistent habits and rituals that are built that will move you to achievement.  Many people have this misconception that it “just happens”.  Like you just get in shape.  Or you just become a fast runner.  Or you just build a million dollar business.  Or you just write a New York best seller.  I hate to bust that fairy tale bubble but it doesn’t work that way.  Reaching levels of success, fortune, fitness and performance, business or anything for that matter is determined by the daily habits you have built in your life.  It’s pretty plain and simple.  You are a direct reflection of your daily rituals.  Whether they support your endeavors or not, know that your habits will dictate your movement. 

Let’s chat about strategies to instill new habits into your life…

First, I think the key is to write down two, no more than three new (or former) habits on paper at a time.  For example:

Habit #1: Floss for 30 days straight

Habit #2: Read from a book 10 minutes everyday for 30 days

Habit #3: Every conversation I have, be intent and in the moment; focus on this

These can be things that can guide you to a larger goal or can be more processed oriented goals.  For instance, maybe you want to read a 200 page book in one month.  Well reading 10 minutes each day will add up to 300 minutes in the month.  And since the average person reads 1 page a minute, that’s 10 pages a day and 300 pages in a month.  There’s your goal of reading a 200-page book achieved, and you even started another book.  Many people overwhelm themselves by looking at the end goal and it gets daunting.  My strategy for you is to break down the goal into smaller, more feasible steps.  Be successful in your daily routine, and the big goal will eventually happen.  Vice versa, lack of execution, your goal doesn’t get achieved.

Another example:

Goal: Lose 30 pounds by February 28^th

Habit #1: drink 72 ounces of water every day – DO NOT MISS

Habit #2: Meal Prep every Sunday evening

Habit #3: 5 workouts a week

Your outcome-based goal is to lose 30 pounds.  But that doesn’t happen without the daily actions.  Focusing on the process each day, will lead you to your goal and will help you build substantial habits that will stay with you even when your date arrives.  Because, why would you want to lose 30 pounds, not build any habits, only to gain it right back?  That’s not that smart. 

From reading different material, and my own personal experience, I feel it takes somewhere between 30-200 days to instill habits.  This depends on the compliance of the individual and the nature of the habit.  Some things just take more time.  (Example: playing Jingle Bells on the piano versus a piece written by Beethoven)

Once you have built the habit, the hard part is over.  You now have a habit, it’s routine for you to read 10 minutes a day.  It’s natural.  You do not have to think about doing that task as much as you used to.  Good job.  With that said, you cannot lose focus on staying consistent.  If your routine gets mundane, you chance losing specific habits.  I see this in the fitness world all the time.  People get busy, leave town or life changes and the first thing to go is their fitness routine.  In order to really build long lasting habits, you must be consistent and do it no matter what.  That’s how you build it into your lifestyle and it becomes a natural thing to do.  Brushing your teeth is a great example.  Hopefully you do this two times a day.  Odds are you started doing this early in life and from encouragement (and sometimes yelling) from your parents or guardians.  It took years for your parents to tell you to do this.  Then eventually, it became such an instilled (and healthy) habit, that you now do it without thinking about it.  You can form healthy, productive and personal development habits this way also.  You just have to be consistent and accountable.

Just like good habits can lead you to achieving big goals, bad habits can lead you down the wrong path, so be very cautious to what your daily rituals and practices are.  If negative or self-destructing habits are occurring, you need to quickly rearrange and change for the better. 

That’s if want to achieve specific goals and work on yourself.  Totally up to you.  

Peace and Love

Making small changes to see big results

First, let me point out that fitness results are not just in numerical form.  Results can come in the form of confidence, energy, leadership, strength and fitness gains, nutrition awareness, positive thinking and overall life vitality.  If all you look at is the scale to determine your results, you will just be defeated.  Yes, you might be looking for physical change but the mental change is just as important.  Those who continue to strive onward and live a consistently healthy lifestyle will be the ones to really benefit from their fitness program.

Here could be a few reasons you might not be seeing a physical result:

1.     You are eating healthy but your calories might need to be adjusted. MyFitnessPal is a great tool to help you assess your calories.  You might need to adjust your calorie intake to see the change you are looking for.  Consistency is the key component.  What will you do over the next 90 days?  Don’t just look at the next week, be driven over a longer period of time to really see changes. 

2.     Your activity/workouts needs to be adjusted.  Maybe you need more cardio. Maybe you need more strength training.  Maybe you are not recovering properly.  Find the piece to the puzzle that is needed to jump-start your results.  Push yourself in the gym.  Add in extra cardio sessions.  Let's see what you can do!

3.     You are stressed and overwhelmed.  Stress raises your cortisol levels due to excess cortisol secretion during times of physical or psychological stress.  Cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for fast energy, and stimulates insulin release and maintenance of blood sugar levels.  This disruption of cortisol secretion may promote weight gain.  Add in quiet/meditation time to release tension so you can be less stressed in your everyday life.  Take 5-10 minutes a few times during the week to breathe and relax your muscles and quiet your thoughts.  This activity will recharge your mind, rejuvenate your body and supercharge your energy.

4.     Not giving it time.  Getting results in a fitness program takes time.  Too many people want a quick fix or to see a result in a few weeks.  A few weeks is just the tip of the iceberg.  When you have been dialed in and on track for months, the results will come.  But go back to what I was talking about above, results are not just numerical.  Look for other areas where you might be changing.  I have personally spent years trying to improve my performance and fitness. It's an ongoing process.  My determination leads me to gaining the results I am looking for.  And to me, it's not just about the destination.  As the destination is the icing on the cake, I love the journey.  I love the daily grind of training, eating healthy and the energy it gives me.  The journey is what gives people the self esteem, the vigor to live life and the physical strength to keep on pushing!

Keep striving! Be persistent! Say no to average! Let's make it a great week!

If you don't jump, you will never know

Staring down, fear hits you,
You have no clue what to expect.
It seems so risky,
It may be.
Have you done your research?
What are the risks versus rewards?
What are the pros and cons?
Just know, that if you don't jump,
you will never know.
If you don't jump,
no reward can be claimed.
If you don't jump,
you risk mediocrity. 
Jumping and succeeding might be a game changer,
you will want to do it again.
The more you jump,
the more you learn,
the more you expand,
the more you grow.
Along the journey,
you will fail or not succeed,
and land face first.
Get back up, dust yourself off,
learn from your mistakes and keep going.
Just remember, by "jumping", you could change the world!

1.................2................3, GO!

Finish 2016 on a Health Note

As we hustle into November, the year is slowly creeping to an end.  With that in mind, creating momentum for the upcoming year should be the mindset.  This momentum happens by finishing the year on a strong and positive note.   

Here are a few strategies to help you stay on track with your healthy living plan over the next 2 months:

1.     Challenge yourself up to Thanksgiving.  I encourage you to push yourself over the next four weeks.  Add an extra training session to your routine, clean up your nutrition plan and push your comfort zone.  The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving are a critical time to stay healthy and on your plan.  This sets you up to sustain a healthy lifestyle leading into the winter months. 

2.     Do not miss your workouts.  If you continue to maintain your workout schedule, you will be less likely to gain weight over the next 8 weeks.  The average American will gain 7-10 pounds over the next 2 months.  Lack of activity and consumption of high caloric food is a sure fire way to add pounds.  Don’t let this happen to you.  Simply staying on a consistent workout schedule will aide in sustaining the results you have achieved up to this point.   

3.     Do not wait for “New Year’s Resolution” time.  I am very adamant about this strategy.  Many people wait till the New Year to start their fitness routine.  Why wait?  Get going now.  I see it every New Year.  Many people decide to get on a plan at the beginning of the year only to fall off within weeks of starting.  Do not let this be you.  Start now by adding a couple workouts a week and changing a few nutritional habits.  Then when the New Year rolls around, you have already created sustainable healthy habits. 

4.     Sign up for an event.  Locally, we have the annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, the Tinsel Toy 5k in December and the Resolution Run 5k on January 1^st.  Signing up for an event creates motivation and accountability and will get you training consistently so you will be prepared for your event.  Find a group of people and encourage them to train with you.  This will make training and competing in the event a better experience. 

5.     Go back to the 85% rule.  I have talked about this strategy before.  This is a critical time of the year to follow the 85% rule.  Simply put, 85% of your food intake should be healthy choices.  Look at the next 40 times you put food into your mouth; 34 of those meals should be healthy.  That gives you 6 meals where you can indulge on other options.  By following this rule, you will maintain your weight, keep your energy levels high, decrease your chances of getting a cold or the flu and overall keep you healthier.